1. Field
The disclosed system and method utilizing human searchers to perform searches for users in real-time. The user and searcher may communicate anonymously during the search process, and may reestablish anonymous communications after the completion of the search.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the current search environment a user can access a search engine, such as Google® and perform a search. However, many users struggle with formulating a set of keywords that will result in the search engine obtaining useful results. (The term “keyword” includes one or more keywords and/or keyphrases that can include multiple keywords as well as natural language sentences that can be analyzed to extract keywords and keyphrases). Also, while there are already more web pages indexed than the world's population, it is estimated that less than 1% of all information is indexed by any given search engine.
Attempts have been made to have humans answer users' questions via a variety of mechanisms. One limitation of such systems is that it may be difficult for the searcher and/or the user to remain completely anonymous with respect to one another during communications following an initial session. “Anonymity” and “anonymous” as used herein refer to communications in which neither party knows the other party's e-mail address, instant messaging username, telephone number, or the like, such that neither party could contact the other party “directly” (outside of the search system).
One method for maintaining the anonymity of a user and a responder during a single exchange is addressed U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,423 titled “Apparatus and Methods for Electronic Information Exchange”, issued to Goedken. This patent discusses a method for facilitating information exchange between an information requestor and a responder where the parties communicate via e-mail. In the method disclosed by Goedken, a Message ID is generated for each request, and a database entry is created that maps the Message ID to the request and the user's e-mail address. A computer generates a second e-mail containing the request and the Message ID (but not the user's address) and sends it to the responder. The responder responds with a third e-mail that includes an answer and the Message ID. The computer receives the third e-mail, associates the response with the Message ID, and generates a fourth e-mail including the response and the Message ID (but not the responder's address) and sends it to the user.
The method disclosed by Goedken, however, does not disclose how the user may ask the responder a follow-up question, or a new question. Because the disclosed system allows for a large number of responders to respond to requests, it would be difficult for the user to reestablish communications with the same responder. Likewise, because the responder does not know the identity of a user, it may be difficult for the responder to update the user if, for example, the answer changes based on additional knowledge or a change in factual data (e.g., new World Record). Furthermore, if multiple users have asked the same question, it may be desirable for a responder to send a single updated answer to each of these users. The system disclosed by Goedken does not disclose a method for establishing such anonymous follow-up communications.
Additionally, Goedken does not disclose a method for implementing “real-time” anonymous communication between a user and a responder. For example, a user may wish to seek information via a plain old telephone service (POTS) telephone call, a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) connection call, or an instant messaging service. While Goedken briefly mentions that Internet chat rooms could be used by a user and a responder, Goedken does not describe how such a system would operate in general, and specifically does not disclose how such a system could provide for anonymous communications.
It would be desirable to provide a system that allows information seekers to obtain relevant information from human searchers while maintaining the anonymity of all parties both during an initial session and during follow-up communications or new sessions.